Is Hasbro trying to phase out the pony-shaped toys?

[Shimmer Mist]

LOL at the tomatoes, and they were at the shelves? 

The main problem here is that most of the non-mane 6 are US store exclusive so you are screwed if you don't live in the US 

I believe those tomatoes were, yes. Ohter folks have taken photos of weird toys swapped that actually WERE on the shelves. Sometimes they are similar enough but other times you wonder how customer service DIDN'T notice. it'd be like trying to return a MLP box with a small, realistic, horse without brushable hair in the box. I know that they are employes that may not know as much about it as us collectors do but  at what point do you stop caring enough to even compare what is in the box to the product pictures on the packaging?

[RavenFeather]

LOL at the tomatoes, and they were at the shelves? 

The main problem here is that most of the non-mane 6 are US store exclusive so you are screwed if you don't live in the US 

I believe those tomatoes were, yes. Ohter folks have taken photos of weird toys swapped that actually WERE on the shelves. Sometimes they are similar enough but other times you wonder how customer service DIDN'T notice. it'd be like trying to return a MLP box with a small, realistic, horse without brushable hair in the box. I know that they are employes that may not know as much about it as us collectors do but  at what point do you stop caring enough to even compare what is in the box to the product pictures on the packaging?

Missing accessories is one thing, customer service just makes sure the doll is there and looks like it hasn't been opened.  Which in all my cases of finding dolls missing the accessories, the doll was still there and still mostly tied down and the box looked unopened.  It was just my collector side noticing something was off.

As far as the tomato thing, I bet you anything that never even saw customer service.  It probably happened in store, customer took the transformer and opened it up and just stuffed the tomatoes in and put it back on the shelf.  Customers who steal are WEIRD.  They either steal things that are only a few dollars like Blind Bags, or steal things that you wonder how on earth they managed that.  You'd be surprised the stuff I've found just in toys that was empty.

[brightberry]

I can also imagine that some of the returns are from people who discovered the missing items.   I remember one issue where someone opened their xbox one to find bibles instead.  The store took that back too.

[Twizel]

It's just so frustrating that I have no other option than to buy online and pay shipping fees when I have 4-5 stores within 5 miles of my home. I need the Fashion Style Rarity for a commission, and I was really afraid I wasn't going to be able to find the model that my customer wanted! I looked at Hasbro.com and found about three Rarities, but was aghast to see they didn't list size or anything to tell me which Rarity was the proper size! I ended up buying one on Amazon, and paying twice as much as the damn thing would cost in stores.   

I'm glad I don't collect G4 for myself - still mostly a G1 and G3 fan Though the larger G4s and blind bags have grown on me (still don't like the 3" ones very much).

I get so angry at people who steal to resell, too. I know the economy sucks, but surely there is a better way to make money than by stealing kids' toys. 

[Shimmer Mist]

It's just so frustrating that I have no other option than to buy online and pay shipping fees when I have 4-5 stores within 5 miles of my home. I need the Fashion Style Rarity for a commission, and I was really afraid I wasn't going to be able to find the model that my customer wanted! I looked at Hasbro.com and found about three Rarities, but was aghast to see they didn't list size or anything to tell me which Rarity was the proper size! I ended up buying one on Amazon, and paying twice as much as the damn thing would cost in stores.   

I'm glad I don't collect G4 for myself - still mostly a G1 and G3 fan Though the larger G4s and blind bags have grown on me (still don't like the 3" ones very much).

I get so angry at people who steal to resell, too. I know the economy sucks, but surely there is a better way to make money than by stealing kids' toys. 

o-o Which Fashion Style Rarity were you looking for?

[Twizel]

Any of them. I needed a white unicorn base in that size :p I ended up with this one: http://www.amazon.com/My-Little-Pony-Fashion-Rarity/dp/B00CX5X28M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1424331484&sr=8-1&keywords=fashion+style+rarity

Why, is this one worth more or something? I haven't been keeping up... I bought this one because the other version on Amazon was going for $33.

[PrincessStarlily]

To be perfectly honest, I've noticed this lack of normal brushables as well; the last time I was in a Target I recall seeing primarily EQG and Pop figures.

Actually, I haven't been down a pony aisle in a long time because I've finally just given up on G4. What with the constant Mane 6 rereleases, strange/unappealing variants, and slew of EQG (plus the fact that the original G4 style has never fully enamored me), I've decided not to waste my dollars on the current ponies and only go after previous gens. I have twenty or thirty G4s in my collection, and I think some of them are really cute, but the recent releases have made me lose interest...at least for the time being.

[Galactica]

I've just been to every local store that sells MLP products, looking for a specific pony for a commission. To my dismay, NONE of the stores have pony models! They only have the playsets, those weird little plastic ponies that you put together yourself, and a crapload of Equestria dolls (ew). Even the blind bags are disappearing around here.

Are they trying to phase out the pony figures that I know and love? Has anyone else noticed this happening?

The fashion style size always seems to be very poorly stocked- and they usually only have two different fashion style ponies out at any given time, at any given store- in my experience.  They aren't necessarily RARE, just not well stocked by stores.  Except Pinkie. You can usually always find Pinkie...

[Shimmer Mist]

I've just been to every local store that sells MLP products, looking for a specific pony for a commission. To my dismay, NONE of the stores have pony models! They only have the playsets, those weird little plastic ponies that you put together yourself, and a crapload of Equestria dolls (ew). Even the blind bags are disappearing around here.

Are they trying to phase out the pony figures that I know and love? Has anyone else noticed this happening?

The fashion style size always seems to be very poorly stocked- and they usually only have two different fashion style ponies out at any given time, at any given store- in my experience.  They aren't necessarily RARE, just not well stocked by stores.  Except Pinkie. You can usually always find Pinkie...

Im my area the shelfwarming Fashion Style is that first Princess Twilight. She is EVERYWHERE!

Fashion Styles are also pretty popular because of their size, too. The first Rarity is pretty super expensive because she also came out like... 3 or 4 years ago? Combine that with FS and G4's overall popularity and yeah, she's going to be expensive.

[Twizel]

Good to know. I don't really collect G4, but I use some for customs I guess from now on, I'll look online for FS size - Hasbro's site had reasonable prices, but I'm not sure any of the three Rarities there were FS because poor labels. Searching for "Fashion Style" only brought up Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash. Since it was for a commission I paid more on Amazon for the certainty of getting the right product.

Idk maybe I'm just overreacting because I hate the Equestria anthro dolls so much  If I were to judge by the shelves in my Target, the ponies went out of My Little Pony in favor of those dolls.

[Leave a Whisper]

there are plenty of ponies at our stores, maybe the EQGs are more likely to be left on the shelf because the ponies are a bit cheaper?

[RavenFeather]

there are plenty of ponies at our stores, maybe the EQGs are more likely to be left on the shelf because the ponies are a bit cheaper?

This, very much this.  Ponies sell faster because they are cheaper, they are small, and lots of little girls seem to get them as a prize for being good at the store or for some other odd reasons.  And parents always seem to shy away from blind bags because they don't want their kid to be sad they got two of the same pony.  You guys would not believe how many times a parent came up to me and asked if they could open the bag to see what pony was in it, or how to know if the pony would be a double, or even if it was a double could they return it? *Rolls eyes*

Bushables you see exactly what you are getting and as a result, they fly fast.  Fashion Styles too.  And oddly enough the EQG dolls are flying fast in my Walmart.  More demand than there is supply!!  Any given day I'm scanning the UPCs to pray we got some in, but the whole four and a half foot section is just so bare and it hurts to see it like that.  Right now all we have are the Princess Two-Packs, the packs with the Breezies, Blind Bags, maybe three brushables, a handful of POP, 2 EQG basics, and the EQG dolls with pets.  That's it.  And that was of two days ago.

Trust me, it's not the store's fault, we have everything ordered!  It's just not getting shipped out to the stores for whatever reason.